INDIA: Australia (AUS) secured their first win of the tournament by defeating Sri Lanka (SL) with just five wickets to spare at the Ekana Sports city, Lucknow. The contest, which took place on Monday, saw Australia successfully chase down Sri Lanka’s target of 210 runs, reaching 215/5 in just 35.2 overs.
Marsh and Inglis shine in Australia’s victory
Australia’s chase was far from straightforward, with the top-order batsmen falling relatively easily. However, Mitchell Marsh emerged as a crucial player, delivering a standout performance with 52 runs off 51 balls, reigniting hopes for the Australian side.
Following Marsh’s dismissal, it was Josh Inglis (58 off 59) who took charge of the chase, accelerating alongside Marnus Labuschagne, who contributed 40 valuable runs. Inglis was the star of the innings, smashing 58 runs off 59 deliveries. The chase was finally completed by Glenn Maxwell (31*) and Marcus Stoinis (20*), who secured the victory for AUS with some well-placed boundaries.
Zampa’s heroics in the bowling department
In the first innings, the Australian team’s victory was set up by their exceptional bowler, Adam Zampa, who scalped four wickets, restricting Sri Lanka to a total of 209 runs in 43.3 overs.
Sri Lanka, having won the toss and elected to bat, got off to a strong start with the opening pair of Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka, who added 125 runs in 21.4 overs. However, the momentum shifted when Pat Cummins dismissed Nissanka for a well-played 61 runs off 67 balls, and shortly afterward, Perera was bowled out for 78 runs off 82 balls.
Zampa further compounded Sri Lanka’s difficulties by dismissing Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama for single-digit scores. A brief rain delay occurred during the innings, but the Australian bowlers continued to dominate the proceedings. Apart from Zampa’s four-wicket haul, Mitchell Starc contributed with two crucial wickets, and Glenn Maxwell added one more to his tally.
Key Highlights
- Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first.
- SL made two changes to their playing XI, while AUS made no alterations.
- The opening pair of Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka both reached half-centuries, providing Sri Lanka with a strong start.
- Adam Zampa’s outstanding bowling performance saw him take four wickets, which played a pivotal role in Australia bowling out Sri Lanka for 209 runs.
- Mitchell Marsh scored a crucial half-century in Australia’s chase of 210 runs.
- Josh Inglis also contributed a remarkable half-century for the Australian team.
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